Top tips for spotting pavement trip hazards

Regardless of how old you are, you may well have experienced times when you tripped over while walking along a pavement. If so you will know how important it is to be alert to spotting pavement trip hazards. You never know when they might crop up, and they are not always easy to spot.

If you want to reduce the chances of suffering a trip or fall, try and follow these tips. Firstly, make sure you always look where you are going. It sounds obvious, certainly, but many people do not always have their attention on the pavement they are walking on. Phones and other devices can drag our attention away, and that doesn’t help.

This is a common cause of tripping accidents. Paving stones can sometimes be unevenly bedded down. This means you can step on one and it can rock under your feet. If it stays in that uneven position, it is possible to trip over the raised edge of it as you walk along. You may have mere seconds to try and break your fall if you cannot catch your balance.

Be alert for any rubbish that might be on the pavement too. While you would expect to see rubbish bags and items out on the pavement on bin collection day, rubbish can appear at any time.

An uneven tarmacked surface

Not all pavements are made from paving stones. In some cases, tarmac or even cobbles or bricks are used to create a pavement. In every case the pavement may not always be completely even. If there is a difference in height between one area and another, this can create a potential tripping hazard.

Trips and falls are among the most common types of accidents the lawyers working for Accident Advice Helpline come across. In each case, it is important to determine who was at fault for causing the hazard to be present in the first place. If you believe your accident was caused by someone’s negligence, do get in touch with our team now on 0800 689 5659. This will give you access to free no-obligation advice that could make all the difference to making a compensation claim. We could assist you with this process if you have a strong case, so find out whether you could claim now.

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